Indoor golf apparatus



(habil- I l Il I.

J. C. HALL 4 INDOOR GOLF APPARATUS Fiied April 16, 1928 July 17, l1928 -lnmml Patented July 17, 192s.

.UNITED STA TESI JOHN c. HALL, oF WHITING, INDIANA. 'INDOOR GOLF APPARATUS.

Application filedv April 16, 1928. Serial No. 270,174.

This invention relates to game apparatus and it has for its object to provide an apparatus of simple construction which can be set up indoors and used for playing indoor' golf and also for practicing golf.

The invention also has for its object to provide an apparatus of this kind having a plurality of targets or curtains arrangedy to indicate to the player the direction and approximate distance of the fli ht of the ball so that agame may be playe 'by Selecting a curtain as a target for astroke, of for `practice purposes.

In the accompanying drawingsillustrated a selected embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation with the net partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is atop plan view with the net partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation.

Fig. 4 is a detail enlarged view of one of the curtains.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View on the linel of Fig. 4.

The invention comprises a skeleton frame which can be conveniently made 'of tubing and having four corner posts 6, two side members 7, a front end top member 8 and a rear end top member 9. A net 10 is supported by the frame and extends across the top of the frame and hangs freely at both sides thereof, the bottom portions `of the sides of the net being permitted to fold upon the floor 11 to prevent balls from escaping under the net. A sheet of canvas 12 is arranged to close the rear end of. the net and form a back stop to prevent escape of balls. This sheet 12 projects overthe top of the net at 12 and it is sewed gr laced or grommeted or otherwise securely fastened to the net at the top and bottom rear end portions thereof. The sheet is secured to the frame by heavy cord, or rope, or rings, or other suitable devices indicated at 13. Any suitable means may be employed for securing the sheet tothe net and for supporting the 4sheet on theframe. A plurality of rods 14, Jpreferably three, are supported on the frame at the rear end thereof and are arranged to rest upon the forwardly projecting part of the canvas sheet 12. These rods are arranged in parallel relation and they are spaced several inches apart. A plurality of target curtains, preferably three, are suspended loosely from each rod. The three curtains 15 hang side by side at the top of the net and at the rear end thereof; the three intermediate curtains 16 hang in front of the curtains 15 but spaced therefrom; the' three curtains 17 hang in front of the curtains 16 and are spaced therefrom. The

jower ends of the rear curtains 15 project beow and the lower ends of the intermediate curtains 16 project below the top of the front curtains 17. The three sets of curtains in Vertical alignment are spaced apart slightly, as shown in Fig. 3 for free and independent movement and each curtain is separately suspended so that it may move under the impact of the ball Without affecting-any of the other curtains. v Various means may be employed for suspending'the curtains from the rods 14, but I prefer to fold the upper .edge port-ion of the curtain upon itself at 18 and sew this folded portion at its side and bottom edge to the main portion of the curtain as indicated at 19 in Fig. 4. Within this folded portion I arrange a weight which is preferably in the form of-,av rod 20. Loops 2l are- Sewed to the folded portion at or' adjacent the upper cornersof the curtain and suspending cords 22 are engaged with these loops and with the rods 14.

A mat or other suitable means is provided at the front end ofthe apparatus as a tee for a golf ball 24 and this tee is preferably movable so that it can be shifted to any position on the floor at the end of the frame as a player may desire. f

It will be noted that in the selected embodiment illustrated there are nine curtains, each independently suspended free from contact with the other curtains and with the upper edge of 4the intermediate horizontal set of curtains overlapping the lower edge of the upper horizontal set of curtains, and the upper edge of the lower horizontal set of curtains overlapping the lower edge of the intermediate horizontal set of curtains. T he. three vertical sets of curtains are spaced apart sufficiently to permit the curtains to the top of the intermediate curtain 16 hang freelyand independently and to'move the ball as in the ordinary game.

curtain is always suflicient to indicate to the player ywhich curtain has been struck, and this agitation continues until the player lifts his eyes from the tee to follow the course of Therefore a player ma select for a particular shot with a partlcular club the target curtain which he aims to hit and he can determine Athe approximate direction and distance of for each hole the vclubs to be used in the drive .and on the fairway. By following these general rules, supplemented by such detail rules as may be foundvdesirable a player ora group of players may theoretically play a particular golf course the varying distances, the par strokes andthe different clubs required, following the custom which would ordinarily prevail on the fairways of the course, is not only entertaining to the players but is instructive and highly beneficial practice. I have also found that in playing games in this way and in practicing with my invention the separatesuspension and independency of the target curtains is of particular importance because theplayer is enabled to keep his eye on the ball according to throughout the stroke and when he lifts his eyes as he does, or should do, in approved practice on a regular course to watch the flight of the ball and its location at the end of the flight, he will know by the agitation of the curtain which curtain has been struck by the ball. If the player drives a hard ball he will see the bulge in the curtain caused by the impact of the ball even if -he does not lift his eye until after the-stroke is completed. This is interesting to the player because he is enabled to see within reasonable limits the direction of flight of the ball and by the point of impact on the curtain he can estimate approximatelyl the distance of the flight.

The apparatus embodyin my invention is extremely simple it can die easily made, and it can e installed indoors or outdoors; it can be set up in club room, basements, attics, billiard'rooms, and other. places where there is room to swing a club. It is not necessary to fasten the posts to the floor if they are provided with b ases commonly known. The net and curtains may be suspended or supported by any other means than the frame work shown'. I have hung the net over an automobile with the target curtains at the inner end of a stall in a garage so' that the apparatus could be used when the car is moved out of the stall, and

approved practice rod in eachl curtainlis desirable to hold the curtain steady and to restore it to its proper position after it lia-s been truck by a ball, but a weight of any other kind suitable for the purpose cmay be Asubstituted for the rod. I have also referred to sewing as a means for fastening parts of the apparatus, but any other suitable fastening means may be substituted for sewing; and any suitable means for suspending the .curtains from the rods and for securing the back sheet to the net, and forvholdingthe net and back' sheet in position other than those herein disclosed may be used without departing from my invention: v

I claimt 1. Indoor golf 4apparatus comprising a plurality of separate target curtains, and means for suspending said curtains in an arrangement to form a plurality of horizontal sets and a plurality of vertical sets.

2. Indoor .golf apparatus comprising a plurality of separate target curtains, and means foi` suspending said curtains in an arrangement to form a plurality of horizontal sets and a plurality of vertical sets,

to prevent interference of one curtain wi another. y l

3. Indoor golf apparatus comprising a plurality of separate target curtains, and means for suspending said curtains in an arrangement to form a plurality of horizontal sets and a plurality of verticalsets, the horizontal sets being spaced apart one in front of the other.

4. Indoor golf apparatus comprising a the vertical sets being spaced apart slightly plurality of separate target curtains, 'and means for suspending'said curtains in an arrangement to form a` plurality of horizontal sets and a plurality of vertical sets, the upper edge portions of the curtains in one horizontal set overlapping the lower edge portions of the curtains in the horizontal set next behind. A

`5. Indoor golf apparatus comprising al plurality of separate 4target curtains arranged in horizontal sets and in vertical sets and in adjacent relation, means for inde'- pendently suspending each curtain of each set to 'enable the curtains to swing freely .and independently of each other.

6. Indoor golf apparatuscomprising a plurality of separate target curtains arranged in horizontal sets, said sets being lolvlO cated one in front of the other and in stepped relation, and means for suspending each curtain independently of the other curtains.

'7. Indoor golf apparatus comprising a plurality of separate target curtains arranged in vertical sets spaced slightly apart, and means for suspending each of said curtains independently of the other curtains.

8. Indoor golf apparatus comprising a plurality of separate target curtains arranged in horizontal sets spaced apartI and overlapping and in vertical sets spaced apart, and means for suspending each of said'curtains independently of the other curtains.

, 9. Indoor golf apparatus comprising a plurality of parallel suspension rods spaced apart, a plurality of target curtains, means for loosely lsuspending' a horizontal set of curtains from each rod, said curtains being arranged in vertical sets overlapping and spaced apart.

10. Indoor golf apparatus comprising a substantially rectangular skeleton frame, a net covering the topand sides rof said frame, a sheet fastenedltothe rear' ends oof the net at the rear endof the frame, and a plurality of separate target curtains arranged in hor1 zontal and vertical sets, a plurality of parallel rods spaced apart and supported on the frame adjacent the rear end thereof, a plurality of separate targetl curtains independently suspended from said rods in horizontal and'l vertical sets, the vhorizontal sets overlapping and spaced apart and the Vertical sets spaced apart.

l1. Indoor golf apparatus comprising a .plurality of separate target curtains, and

means for suspending said curtains independently, each of said curtains having a Weight adjacent its upper edge.

JOHN C. HALL. 

